Packard, Packard-LePere

1919 and 1920 ultralights ascribed to Packard Co were in fact designed by Etienne Dormoy and built as off-hours experiments by Dormoy (qv) and his friends while employed there.

Packard A (Aviation via Joe Martin)A (1-A) 1919 = 2pOB; 160hp Packard 8; load: 647# v: 102 ceiling: 19,500'. Packard's entry, featuring a self-starter, was planned for a civil market that failed to develop; POP: 1 [707] c/n 1. A 2pOB with 200hp Packard-Liberty 8 found in the registers might be this ship, but it was not specified as actually a Packard Co product  use of a Packard engine certainly hints at it. The registry shows several private owners in Mt Clemens and Saginaw but no other data.

Packard

Packard Aircraft Co, Enid OK.

INFORMATION NEEDED

1929 = No data.

Packmag SEE Hickman

Pagé-Light

Victor W Pagé (nee: Pager) & Oliver Light, Farmingdale NY.

1909 = 1pOB; two-cycle Light rotary. Essentially a Blériot XII rebuilt with a biplane wing and interplane ailerons, designed by the founder of Pagé aviation mechanic training schools, and author of several popular technical aviation books c.1918-35.

Paine

Palmer

(Harry A) Palmer Motor Co, Boston MA.

c.1931 = M; 80hp Palmer; span: 40'0". Henry Hunt. Built by Hunt for use as a test bed for the Palmer motor, and apparently bought by him. [802N] c/n 1. SEE ALSO Hunt (Fiskeville RI) as an alliance that has yet to be figured out.

P-3 1929 = Monoplane with 80hp Velie M-5. [X/NC69N]. Any relation to the Boston Palmer is also unknown, but possible. John M Jarratt finds no reference to Pan-American Corp.

Palmgren

David Palmgren, Wilmington NC.

1910 = Newpaper reports describe this as an "auto-plane" with folding wings, perhaps the first of its type. Two 35hp Adams-Farwell rotary motors geared together so that "if one stops, the other keeps the propeller moving while the first acts as a flywheel." The two motors also revolved in opposite directions to neutralize the gyroscopic effectquite an innovation, considering the year. Reports failed to mention if it ever flew, and no pictorial matter was uncovered to provide a better description.

Pan-American (?)

Pan-American Corp, San Antonio TX.

INFORMATION NEEDED

1929 = 3p tri-motor with Velie engines. Joe Palmer. A mystery ship, if it even existed. This info was found in some reference, but could be confusion with Palmer in Mexia TX (qv) and begs further investigation.

Panzl

Bruce H & Chris J Panzl, Livonia MI.

PAN 1987 = 2pCB; Franklin 6V-335. EAA Champion Custom-Plans Built award in 1990. POP: 1 [N11ZL] c/n ZL-1.From my HOAE compilation, the 6V-335 (O-335 in my notation) was built as a vertically-mounted helicopter engine delivering 200-210hp at 3100rpm. I have no idea what would have been involved in the conversion to horizontal operation. ( Jack Erickson 11/5/02)

Paramount Cabinaire 165 [NC17M] (Frank Rezich coll)Cabinaire 165 1930 (ATC 265) = 4pCB; 165hp Wright J-6; length: 24'7" load: 1054# v: 120/105/40. $7,500, $5,750 in 1931; POP: 1 [NC17M] c/n 7, modified from Cabinaire 110.My father at one time owned the burned remains of [NC17M] (it caught fire during restoration in the '60s), the only surviving Cabinaire. After he sold the plane it was finally restored in the '90s. Greg Herrick purchased it in 1997, and while we were flying it from FL to MN, an engine failure stopped our trip near Zebulon GA. The Cabinaire is once again being restored by Nathan Rounds in Zebulon. ( Brent Taylor, AAA 10/12/00)

Parisano

Parisano Aerial Navigation Co, 320 West 42 St, New York NY.

Parisano Paraplane Drawing (ad: 1916 Flying)Paraplane 1916 = 2pO special*; two rotaries in tandem. *A genuine oddity with a winged, parafoil-type arrangement over a framework fuselage on a four-wheel cart. From Sep 1915 ad: "These machines are standard in every respect, and of extra strong constructon, designed to meet the severest military requirementscan be be supplied with changeble angle of incidence wings. Speed range, 40 to 85 miles per hour. Climb with full military load 600 feet pr minute." A descriptive "Armored Military Tractor Biplanes" suggests a much different design than shown, likely a biplane, and "these machines" indicates ambitious production plans.

Parker

1911 = 1pOB; 60hp Emerson; span: 14'0". Built from what materials were on hand or found locally, it sported a landing gear of four motorcycle wheels, plain galvanized wire helping to brace its structure, and some gas pipe for parts of its frame. Quite ahead of its time, however, was Parker's smoke chamber, with hand-operated bellows, built to study airflow across model wings. After incorporation with a couple dozen townsfolks, completion of the airplane mid-year, and a shaky maiden flight to 20' high and 1,500' in length (during which Parker also hurriedly learned to fly) followed by a crash-landing, an exhibition tour was planned. Those plans were cut short when a second flight also ended in a crash with more severe damage. With funds running low and no signs of any income on the horizon, and the reluctance of the plane to leave the ground in further modifications and attempts over three more years, the company was dissolved in 1914. Yet Parker is credited by many as the first to fly in Utah, which is contested by supporters of Lagar Culver (qv) for the honors.

Parker

William D "Billy" Parker, Ft Collins CO and San Diecgo CA.

Pusher 1912-1914 = Manufacturer of personal and exhibition biplanes, stressed for competition and aerobatics; principal power was 50-80hp LeRhône rotary. [NX62E] was a personal plane flown by Parker during his years as sales representative for Phillips Petroleum Co (later manager of Aviation Dept); was active into the 1960s. Rebuilt and upgraded many times over the years; mid-wing ailerons were replaced by trailing-edge ailerons. Parker had other pushers along the way for exhibition flying, as well [NR8Y (90hp OX-5), N66V, N4161K (80hp LeRhône)]. The latter was the most recent addition (c.1955), registered as Parker-Curtiss, with a rebuilt 90hp Curtiss OX-5. While the Curtiss name is often attached to Parker's products, and he admitted to initial design influence to some degree, he was in fact quite vocal about his planes being his own creations, noting that anyone serious about doing "loops and fancy flying" [his terms] in the 'teems would never use a Curtiss pusher because of the weakness of its "bamboo outriggers and other frail parts." Parker was still flying two of his originals in the '50s and '60s on tours for Phillips.

Parker

1921: (Fred) Parker Aircraft Co, Perry IA.

1921 = 3pOB advertised as being constructed, as well as newspaper articles, but no data were found except that Parker left town that year apparently without building any plane.

Parks P-1 [NC362K]Parks P-1 [NC376K] (Frank Rezich coll)P-1 1929 (ATC 179) = 2-3pOB; 90hp Curtiss OX-5; span: 30'1" length: 24'1" load: 812# v: 100/85/37 range: 340. A duplicate of Fairchild KR-31, but with a chin radiator. Built to replace Travel Airs used at the subsidiary Parks Air College. $3,165; POP: 45; prototype [10008]. [X289W] used to test the feasibility of a large, built-in "planechute" that could be released in emergencies to float the aircraft to the ground. Photos show it in operation, with apparent success, but results of testing is unknown.

Parks

Robert Parks, Greenville SC.

P-1, P-2 1947 = 1pOlwM; 65hp Continental C-65. POP: 2 midget racers [N2E, Nx], the first of whose registration was transferred, after it disappeared c.1967 over the Gulf of Mexico, to Parks P-3. There is registration confusion in [N2E], which appears in 1948 as midget racer Sheldon (or Johnson) Special, as well as in model numbers similar to those of Parks Aircraft Co.

Partridge-Keller

Besides these recorded individual creations, the P&K were responsible for many conversions and modifications of surplus WW1 aircraft registered with civil numbers.

Partridge-Keller #1 with Joe Best (Drina Welch Abel coll)
#1 1913 = 1pOB; 60hp Kirkham, built for sportsman-pilot Joseph Best as the team's first effort. Featured Wright two-stick controls and wing-warping.

Partridge-Keller Bi-Plane (Drina Welch Abel coll)Bi-Plane aka "Looper" 1914 = 2pOB; 80hp Gnôme rotary, later 80hp Smith 6-cylinder radial. Uncovered fuselage at first, later covered with fabric. Specially built for Katherine Stinson for her exhibition flights in North American and the Orient.

Paschke

Paul & Ted Paschke, Hancock MN.

1928 = 1pOhwM; 90hp Curtiss OX-5. A first-effort, looking like a large Pietenpol (which this design predated by five years), flew well for 15 hours, then was damaged beyond repair when it hit a vagrant pig during a landing.

Patchen

Marvin Patchen, Ramona CA.

Patchen Explorer [N1EX]Explorer 196? = 2pChwM; 200hp Lycoming; v: 130/115/x. Pylon-mounted engine; shoulder wings. POP: 1 [N1EX]. Registration was assumed by a 1982 Skybolt home-built, so the trail of the Patchen ends there.The aircraft is still alive and well, operated by the South African Air Force Museum. The prototype was shipped to the Republic of South Africa and evaluated by the SAAF's test flight and development centre for use as a light recon forward air control aircraft, but was not quite what was required. As a result it languished in a hangar for many years before being donated to the SAAF Museum. Why only one prototype was ever built I do not know, as it is a great little aircraft with a fantastic helicopter-type view from the cockpit. I will admit that it does not have the greatest control harmony (sensitive rudder and elevator, heavy ailerons), but it goes well with a 200hp Lycoming and variable-pitch prop. I served with the SAAF Museum during 1999 as a display pilot and flew the Patchen at many airshows. It looks so weird that it attracts far more interest at airshows than many of the vintage aircraft! ( James R Feuilherade 11/15/00)

Patterson-Francis

(Charles) Patterson & (Roy N) Francis Aviation Co, San Francisco CA.

Flying Boat 1913 = 2pOBF; tractor with twin propellers. Competed in 1913 Great Lakes Reliability tour, but was forced out by high winds. SEE ALSO Andermat.

Patterson-Francis Twin-TractorTwin-Tractor 1913 = 2pOB; Hall-Scott V-8 with two chain-driven props, a developed version of the 1912 Fowler-Gage (SEE Gage). Plane's components were designed and built in San Francisco by Francis, then shipped to Cicero IL for assembly. It crashed on its test flight and disappeared soon afterwards, either stolen or vandalized.

Paul

W Luther Paul, Davis NC.

1907 = OH; four 3hp motorcycle engines. Empty wt: 500#. Two rotors in tandem and a tractor propeller. The helicopter was tested in a large barn, where it was reported to have reached a height of about 4 feet.

Paulic

Rudy & Louis Paulic, Oakland, Burbank, and Gardena CA.

Paulic XT3-B [NX21726] (William T Larkins)XT3-B, T-3B-1 1939 = 2pClwM; 125hp Warner Scarab; span: 33'0" length: 23'6" load: 1060# v: 144/122/58. John Thorp, Rudy Paulic. Side-by-side trainer planned for Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland, where both Paulic and Thorp worked [NX21726]. Dismantled after several test flights and stored until 1959, when it was redesigned and rebuilt by Paulic as 4p retractable-gear T-3B-1 with 190hp Lycoming O-435 and reregistered [NX6497C].

T-4 - Design study, never built.

T-5 SEE Thorp.

Paulson

Albert Paulson, Northwood ND.

Aeronef aka Gold Bug 1910 = 1pOB. No other data.Built on the box-kite principle, with the forward box used for changing the angle of flight, while the rear box was adjusted for the direction of flight. Made its public appearance at the June 1910 Indianapolis Air Meet, but did it fly? No info as yet. ( Jerry Marlette 07/17/99)

Pazmany

(Ladislao) Pazmany Aircraft Corporation, San Diego CA.

PL-1 Laminar 1962 = 2pClwM; 95hp Continental C90-12F; span: 28'0" length: 18'11" load: 525# v: 120/115/53 range: 600 ceiling: 18,000'. Some 5,000 design hours went into this ambitious project, intended for home-builders. Full plans were sold for $75, and in the end 375 sets had been sold. One of them went to Taiwan AF, where 58 were subsequently built as PL-1B basic trainers with 150hp Lycoming O-320 engines.

PL-2 1969 = 2pClwM; 108-150hp Lycoming O-320; span: 28'0" length: 19'4" load: 545# v: 144/132/52 range: 485 (data for 125hp version). Externally almost identical to PL-1, the internal structure was extensively changed to simplify construction and reduce weight. POP: unknown, but 276 sets of plans had been sold by early 1975. 50 similar LT-200 were built in Indonesia.

Peay

George T Peay Jr, Provo UT.

1910 = Using principles earned from studying maple tree seedcases using their two rotating wings, Peay built a working model of a plane with rotating blades, somewhat like an autogiro, that permitted steep descents and slow, short landings, then applied for a patent for his invention. Reportedly, some men appeared at the Peay residence to discuss his findings, claiming that they were government representatives from WDC. Peay let them take his model with them for study, and never heard from them again. Attempts to find out what had happened to his model proved fruitless, and Peay abandoned further aviation research.

Peck

Paul Peck, College Park MD.

Peck Columbian 1912 (postcard)Columbian or Columbia Bi-plane 1911 = 1pOB; 50hp Gyro rotary pusher; span 30'0", of which the 4' outboard panels were flexible for wing-warping lateral control. Pod fuselage reported, but is not apparent in the postcard photo, and those "outboard panels" could be interpreted as "ailerons." Gordon Bennett Cup entry did not compete. Text on postcard: "Aviator Col. Paul Peck in Columbian Bi-Plane just landing after an 8000 foot flight. First machine to carry U. S. Mail officially." (The postcard upgrades Peck in rank slightly)In American Air Mail Catalogue, Vol 1, 6th Edition, Entry 3: Sep 23-Oct 1, 1911, Garden City-Mineola, NY, International Aviation Tournament. The first official US airmail was flown during the (event) at the Aerodrome on Nassau Boulevard in Garden City. Postmaster General Frank H Hitchcock authorized mail to be flown and Earle L Ovington was sworn in as the first official airmail pilot. T O M Sopwith and Capt Paul W Peck also flew mail during the meet. Ovington flew mail on the first day, and most covers and cards received a circular "Aeroplane Station #1" postmark and a 3-word ("Aerial Special Despatch") cachet. Covers were postmarked during each day of the meet, but no mail was flown on Sep 29 or Oct 1 due to poor weather conditions. A total of 43,247 pieces of mail was serviced during the meet.
[ibid.] Entry 41: July 19-21, 1912, Coney Island [an amusement park clone in Cincinnati; note roller coaster in background on postcard], Ohio. Paul Beck [spelling error] flew mail each of three days from Coney Island to California, Ohio [the town's Post Office existed 1865-1935 on the outskirts of Cincinnati, about 1.5 miles from the park]. A Columbia biplane was used and the service was designated as Route 631,003. ( Eric Blocher 4/26/02)

Peck

1985: (Glenn) Peck Aeroplane Restoration, Maryland Hgts MO.

de Havilland DH-4M2A [C3360] (Don Parsons)de Havilland DH-4M2A 2006 = Atlantic-Fokker DH-4 is the result of three years' work by Peck and crew, including a complete rebuild of a Ford-Liberty 12, and is most likely the only one in the world flyingit last flew for film Spirit of St Louis. Finished for owner Al Stix in Robertson Airlines colors as CAM 2 mailplane; ff: 9/29/06 (p: Peck). [C3360].

Zenith Z-6A [NC392V] (Don Parsons)Zenith Z-6A = One of only five built, and the last one remaining, this 1929 rarity was revived from a derelict cropduster [NC392V].

Additionally 7 other planes known to have been rebuilt and restored were Aeronca K, Boeing 40B, Curtiss JN-4C, Curtiss Robin, Piper J-3 Cub, Piper Vagabond, and a Porterfield, which was the start of them all.

Peed

Garland Peed Jr & Florence Patrica Kelley Peed, Santa Monica CA.

Peed (Drina Welch Abel coll)
192? = 1pOB. Data still needed.Peed was a graduate of the Army Flying School at Kelly Field (TX), later stunt pilot for movies in "Lilac Time" and "Hell's Angels." Also a test pilot for Alexander Co on the Bullet. ( John M Jarratt 10/10/02)This was evidently designed and probably flown by my father, who was an aeronautical engineer. I do not know where he was in the 1920s. I was born in 1930, and my family moved to California when I was about six years old. During my childhood I remember Clover Field well, for both my parents flew out of it, as well as the old Mines Field (now LAX). I will search family files to see if I can come up with a match for this plane. ( Garland Peed III 2/18/03)

Peekskill

Peekskill Hydro-Aeroplane Co, Peekskill NY.

According to the Jan 11, 1913, edition of the Highland Democrat, in a review of local events for the year 1912: "A new company incorporated here, of which more may be heard later, is the Peekskill Hydro-Aeroplane Company, which was incorporated in July." There is no mention of the company in the 1913 yearly review. I also checked city directories listing people and companies in Peekskill and surrounding municipalities for 1912, 1913, and 1914, and found no reference to either Hydro-Aeroplane Co or Peekskill Hydro-Aeroplane Co. Many other companies were listed, including two that might have been associated with an attempt to build an airplane. The research librarian could not find any other references within the library on this company or topic. ( Ian MacFarlane 9/18/00)

The Penningtons

Flying Machines 1836 and 1877 = Somewhat before our time span, but two Penningtons deserve mention as pioneer visionaries conducting experiments with powered flight long before before the Wright brothers and Count von Zeppelin.

Pensacola

Perth Amboy Bird SEE Bird

Peregrine

Peregrine Flight International, Minden NV.

1994 = Continuation of Bede BD-10 with GE J85 as a home-builder kit. A crash in testing killed the president of the company. Acquired by Fox Aircraft of Minden, but its president, too, was killed in a crash. In 1996 Monitor Jet Corp of Canada took over but, despite claim of 12 standing orders, no production was forthcoming. Next? SEE Vortex.

Perry

Thomas O Perry, Chicago IL. Chicago Helicopters Ltd, Chicago IL.

1923 = 2pOH; 110hp LeRhone; rotors: 47'0" load: 1020#. Rotor blade chord: 4'0". Coaxial counter-rotating rotors, collective pitch control. A novel approach to power-off descent was usedwith a hand crank, the rotors could be moved to a position perpendicular to the direction of flight, transforming the helicopter into a sort-of biplane. A horizontal tail surface mounted on a boom was then used as elevator. A prototype was built by Plamondon Mfg Co of Chicago and flight-tested at Lombard IL. Results were not publicized but apparently were unsatisfactory.

Perry, Parker Perry

W Parker Perry, R D #6, Trenton NJ.

P-1 1929 = 5pMAm; one or two 85hp Packard. Although registered as [444] on 1/16/29, specs from Perry's application sound implausible: "... 14' long with 12' wingspan and one or two Packard engines, to accommodate a pilot and four passengers." What? No hot tub? CAA inquiries went unanswered and reg was cancelled 5/5/30. Probably never built or completed, certainly never flown with all seats occupied.

Peterson

Peterson & Campbell

Lloyd H Peterson and Mark M Campbell, Los Angeles CA.

1932 = 2pOhwM; 100hp Kinner K-5. [X12273] c/n 1. Researched by John M Jarratt, who found in letters to CAA that owner Campbell had, on 1/2/33, requested its Experimental license be cancelled as being "not fit to be flown." Peterson later wrote CAA that he had no idea why the reg was cancelled. The two entered into a lawsuit, with the plane finally being sold 5/14/35 to a R L McCreery (no price stated) with conditions that it would never again be sold, would never have a stress analysis or plans made, would never be licensed, and the wing and fuselage would be destroyed and junked. McCleery notified CAA on 11/7/35 that it had, indeed, been salvaged. He had ostensibly bought only an enginea most curious transaction! CAA canceled reg on 11/7/35.
Crashed on altitude record attempt, Peterson killed. ( John W Underwood 10/17/07)

Phelps SEE Van Valkenberg

Phillips

Lt D B Phillips, San Antonio TX.

Phillips Alouette (clip from unknown magazine)Alouette aka "The Fly" 1924 = 1pOB; 45hp Lawrance and 60hp Anzani; span: 18'0" v: 115 range: 500. Home-built by Phillips and members of the Air Service at Kelly Field TX.

Phoenix

c.1929 = All-metal monoplane with Anzani. Apparently no connection to the previous entry. Archival info from Arizona Corporation Commission indicates formation of company about 1928-29.

Phoenix Heligyro SEE Nagler

Piasecki

1940: P-V Engineering Forum. c.1946: (Frank N) Piasecki Helicopter Corp, Morton PA. After F N Piasecki was forced out of his company in 1955, he founded Piasecki Aircraft Corp, and his original company became Vertol Aircraft Corp, which in turn became a division of Boeing Co in 1960.

16H Pathfinder = 5pClw hybrid aircraft. One main rotor on top; a ducted pusher prop in the tail with vertical vanes, deflecting the slipstream to counter torque.

16H-1C 19?? - 1500hp General Electric T-58-5; rotor: 44'8" load: 3375# v (est): 207/188/0 range (est): 450. Info found in Aviation, but this model was not mentioned in a factory brochure so might have been a speculative project.

H-21C Shawnee 1957 = Army cargo and personnel. External 4000# swinging-boom hoist. POP: 334. Set a closed-course distance record of 1,199 miles in Aug 1957 with extra fuel tanks, and a nonstop flight the same month from San Diego to Washington DC with aerial refueling.

HUP-3 19?? = Medevac and light cargo. Reinforced deck and improved hydraulics system. POP: 50 [147582/147630, 149088], redesignated as UH-25C in 1962. The last one was former Army H-25A [51-16641].

HUP-4 195? = HUP-2S with Wright R-1820. POP: 1 [129978].

PA-2B c.1955 = Dual-fan lift vehicle, having two lateral fans enclosed in barrel shaped enclosures, mounted on the sides of the fuselage. Used the fuselage of the Platt-LePage XR-1A with two GE T-58s scheduled; v (est:) 260. Project only got to the mock-up stage.

Piasecki PA-39 Concept (Piasecki via Jos Heyman)
PA-39 - This model designation covered a number of studies in the 1970s and 80s which sought to combine two or four helicopters (Sikorsky CH-53s or -54s) with a metal airframe as an extreme heavy-lift vehicle (c.60 tons) for the Army. The projected Multiple Helicopter Heavy Lift System (MHHLS) did not result in any flying vehicles.

Piasecki PV-1 Concept art (Piasecki via Jos Heyman)
PV-1 1940 - Frank Piasecki and his P-V Forum's first design was to be a single-rotor helicopter with a fan-forced, anti-torque system blowing air through the tail cone, and turned by control vanes in the exit, predating the NOTAR* by several decades. PV-1 was not developed beyond the design stage due to high development risk at the early stage of helicopter design. *Acronym for "No Tail Rotor" technology whereby the tail rotor was replaced as anti-torque control by a swiveling exhaust duct at the end of a hollow tail boom.

Picken

Pierce SEE S S Pierce

Pierce Arrow (1926) SEE (Charles) Laird

Pierce Arrow (1942) SEE Langley

Pietenpol

(Bernard H) Pietenpol, Spring Valley MN.

192? = 1pOB with 50hp Gnôme rotary.

1923 = 1pOB with Ford Model T.

Pietenpol Air Camper [N2421] (K O Eckland coll)Air Camper 1933 = 2pOhwM; 40hp Ford A; span: 28'2" length: 17'8" load: 395# v: x/60-75/40; ff: 4/20/33. One of the best-known home-builts ever designed, the total population of which can only be imagined; prototype [12937]. One, built in 1934, was still active in Wisconsin in the late '80s, flying with its original fabric!

Pigeon

1830: Henry Pigeon Mast & Spar Co, Boston MA. 1900: Pigeon Hollow Spar Co, 131 Coleridge St, Boston. Company also built automobiles and gondolas for airships prior to their foray into the airplane field; was still active in watercraft to about 1979.

Pigeon Scout Despite Army insignia, USAS rejected the design (Leo J Opdyke / Skyways)Albree Scout (Drina Welch Abel coll)Pigeon with 50hp Gnôme. Caption claimed: "... constructed by Roscoe P Timson and flown at Nahant Beach twice in 1916 by Clifford Webster of Lowell, a test pilot for Burgess Airplane Co..." then: "In another [italics ours] Burgess Wright craft ... Harry Atwood (made a record flight, etc)," hinting there might have been Burgess involvement. Needs ironing out. (Lynn (MA) Historical Society coll)9, Scout aka Albree Scout 1917 = 1pOmwM; 100hp Gnôme rotary (also one Novus rotary); span: 37'11" length: 24'0". George Norman Albree (indicated as the purchaser, but was also working at Pigeon Co); aka Timson-Albree and Pigeon-Fraserdifferent names for very similar designs.Data are sketchy and unsubstantive. POP: 4, of which 3 for US Army, but were not accepted after testing at McCook Fieldone reportedly was a static test model, one crashed and burned in a test flight, one was put in storage by Pigeon Co, and info on the fourth is imprecise, but it could be Albree's plane. One was located and restored by Cole Palen at Old Rhinebeck NY. Photos verify the existence of four aircraft, with two of them identified as c/n 9 and s/n 117.

Flying Boat aka (Reginald) Thomas-Pigeon 1919 = 1p flying boat, the fuselage of which was located and purchased by Cole Palen, and reported in 1994 at "Yanks Air Museum in Chino." No other data found.

Pitts

John W Pitts and W P Kindree, Detroit MI.

Pitts Sky Car film clips. Didn't fly but it sure cleared the area of debris.Sky Car 1928 = 1pOH; 90hp Curtiss OX-5. The best thing that could be said about this machine is that it was a nice try. It appears to be the first helicopter with vibration designed into it (US patent #1,602,778). Each blade of the 60-blade rotor had a full-radius vane attached to it that was free to flap about its radial hinge. Rotation caused the drooping vanes to swing out, closing the space between blades and forming a solid rotor disk, the point being that the rotor was forced by the engine to reciprocate up and down. When the rotor went up the vanes were flung open, allowing the air to pass between the blades; when it then moved downwards, the vanes closed and a good portion of air was thrown downwards, thus supposedly creating a lifting force. Motion pictures recorded a flight attempt in which it is seen pathetically jumping up and down like an irate washing machine, but it is dubious if this was caused by downwashafter all, when one heavy part of a machine is forced down some other part must go up, according to the laws of mechanics.

Pellet 1948 = 1pClwM; 85hp Continental C-85; span: 17'7". Originally had a spring-steel gear which was replaced by an oleo gear from a Waco F. Midget racer [NX52120] (p: Bob Heisel, Phil Quigley); destroyed in the 1949 San Diego race. Replica built in 1985.

S1 - The S-1 series began with the Pitts Special that did more than any other single aircraft to revolutionize the field of competitive aerobatics in the world. There was no S1-A or -B, and all S1s were single-seat biplanes.

S1 Special 1945 = 1pOB; 55hp Lycoming; span: 20'0" length: 18'3". Curtis Pitts; ff: 9/x/44. First of a popular line of home-builts actually began in 1942, but WW2 put operations on hold. Repowered with 90hp Franklin and sold to a cropduster, who reportedly was so hard of hearing that one time he didn't hear the motor quit and crashedno injury, but the plane was a wash-out. A second Special, with 85hp Continental C-85, went to aerobat Betty Skelton in 1947 as Li'l Stinker [NX86401=N22E] (still active in 1975, displayed at NASM 2001). Subsequent models were used by the US Aerobatic Team to capture international championships from 1969-72, and the line continued with 2p versions and motors up to 200hp.

Christen-Pitts S1-C [N3507] (Mike Whaley coll)S1-C aka Flatwing 1960 = Semi-symmetrical airfoil and lower-wing ailerons; Continental O-200. The first S1-C was Pat Ledford's [N8L] and the plans were drawn up as it was constructed. They were redrawn in the '90s by Steen Aero Lab, incorporating many minor changes, the largest of which was the inclusion of the slightly-longer S1-S fuselage.

S1-E 19?? = An experimental, home-built version of S1-S, with some crossover in names and parts provided by the factory between the -S and -Ean unknown number of S1-E became certified S1-S. POP: about 100 kits sold.

Christen-Pitts S1-S [N55BT] (Budd Davidson via Mike Whaley coll)S1-S aka Roundwing 1973 (Afton) = S1-D with two different symmetrical airfoils on the upper and lower wings with four ailerons. S1-S production continued until 1981, when its plans were released for home-builders. Any home-built S1-S predating 1981 was not a true S1-Ss.

Christen-Pitts S1-SS [N519DC] (Mike Whaley coll)S1-SS aka Super Stinker Pitts Special 19?? = Used an airfoil and aileron setup derived from the S-1-11/-11B "Super Stinker" aircraft, which was not a Pitts Special nor was it an S1, but a new design meant for world championship aerobatic competition. S1-SS was offered by Steen Aero Lab since the '90s as supplemental wing plans to fit onto any S1 fuselage.

Pitts Special [N97M] (Mike Whaley coll)Special 1947 = 1pCmwM; 85hp Continental C-85. POP: 2 midget racers, [N97M] Miss Dayton and [N1961M] Li'l Monster.Curtis Pitts told me that he had built "several" of the Goodyear-type racer. I believe that there were 7 or 8 of them built before he got away from racing. ( 2/11/05 Mike Whaley, Steen Aero Lab)

"Airplanes don't care where you fly them, because they know the most
important thing is that you're together."  anonymous